Hello Firefall fans! Launch is only a week away, and today we bring you our 8th and final Path to Launch Blog! Several weeks ago in Path to Launch Blog #5 we discussed the 20-player Devil’s Tusk pushback raid, and we teased that we had more instanced content coming with launch. Today we are excited to discuss the details of our other two 20-player instances that are housed within Devil’s Tusk, both of which involve combat with the unnatural monstrosities known as Melding Titans. Both of these titans are located within their own individual instances which become available once the second stage of the Devil’s Tusk Melding pushback is complete, and both are intended for 20 max-level players.

Baneclaw

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Long time players will recognize the terrifying yet strangely adorable monster known as the Baneclaw, and we’re excited to announce that it’s gotten an update! For those who are unfamiliar, Baneclaw is a scarab which has been mutated by the Melding and grown to a massive size. Targeted attacks and numerous hellclaw minions will keep you on your toes as the Baneclaw rolls in and out of the arena, meaning you will need eyes on the back of your head to make it through this encounter alive!

A note for long-time players: The new Baneclaw does not require a Melding Anomaly Neutralizer (MAN) to play. However, if you still have one, hang on to it! The reason we didn’t remove these during the item migration is that they will have a use in the future.

Kanaloa

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Our second Melding Titan is known as Kanaloa the Destroyer. Kanaloa is a melded lava worm, and its lair lies at the heart of the Devil’s Tusk volcano where it makes its nest in the pool of lava contained within. This lair is littered with elevated platforms that provide ample vantage points for players to rain down fire on the titan at its center. You will have to keep your wits about you though, for as the fight progresses, the lava will rise, taking away more and more of the floor space until eventually, those tall isolated platforms are the only refuge you have left from the deadly molten pool below. The thick skin that makes Kanaloa impervious to the intense heat of its home also makes it extremely resistant to anything you have at your disposal, meaning you will need to aim at the weak spots on its back to be able to do any damage. Even if you manage to avoid falling into the lava and dodge Kanaloa’s devastating flame-based attacks, you will still have to watch out for the lava crabs that inhabit the cracks and crevasses around the perimeter of the cave.

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Both of these titan battles provide great rewards including top-end loot, and both of them have a 7 day personal lockout timer that activates upon their successful completion. There is only so much about these encounters that can be explained through text; if you want the full experience you’ll have to try them out for yourself! Make sure to head to Devil’s Tusk and start collecting Dark Crystite to permanently push back the Melding and unlock these battles for everyone to enjoy. There are three stages, and each is harder than the last, so every little bit helps!

In addition, we have received some scattered reports of a third Melding Titan that has been found somewhere within Firefall. Its exact whereabouts are unknown, but if you find it, you’ll know…

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This is the end of our Path to Launch blog series, and we really hope you have enjoyed reading about the updates and additions that have been made to Firefall in preparation for its launch. We look forward to having even more exciting things to reveal to you in the future. One week from today, the floodgates will open, the “Beta” tag will be dropped, and Firefall will officially be launched! We are so excited to share all of our hard work with the world, though July 29th is not the end of the journey, but rather the beginning! See you in game!

Firefall is the much-anticipated free-to-play sci-fi MMO shooter from Red 5 Studios. Play for FREE starting July 29th, 2014 on Steam! Want access earlier than that? Click here for more information on our early access program!